E Johanning^1*, M Gareis², K Nielsen³, R Dietrich⁴ and E Märtlbauer<sup>4 

1</sup>Fungal Research Group (FRG, Inc.), Occupational and Environmental Life Science, Albany, N.Y. USA.

²Institute for Microbiology und Toxicology, BAFF, Kulmbach, FRG

³Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark

⁴Institute of Hygiene und Technology of Milk, L.M. University of München, FRG

ABSTRACT

The indoor mycotoxins inhalation exposure of patients (n=25) was studied using a high-volume air sampler (60 cfm x 24 h) with a micropore-paper filter (8x11 inches). The filters were evaluated for cytotoxicity caused by mycotoxins using the MTT-cell culture bioassay and by culture identification. A subset of samples was analyzed with an enzyme-immuno assay for occurrence of macrocyclic trichothecenes produced by Stachybotrys chartarum and HPLC-DAD and GC-MS analyses for different mycotoxins.

Highly toxic air samples (IC₅₀ ≤ 31 mg/ml) were found in seven cases; moderate toxicities (IC₅₀ > 31 to ≤ 125 mg/ml) in 14 cases, and four cases were not toxic compared to controls. The subset testing demonstrated that macrocyclic trichothecenes and other mycotoxins could become airborne.

 In conclusion, an inhalation risk could be confirmed (84% of cases) with the 24-hour high volume air sampling test method due to the detection of airborne cytotoxic fungal particles and specific mycotoxins, including trichothecenes produced by Stachybotrys fungi.

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